On this week's news update...

Animal Feelings

Recognizing animal feelings...

Asteroid Mission

An experimental asteroid mission...

Jelly Ice Cubes

And jelly ice cubes keep things cool!

First up...

Humans experience a wide range of feelings, like happiness, excitement, and sometimes sadness.

Scientists describe animals that can experience feelings as “sentient.”

sentient

Dogs are regarded as sentient, because they are widely considered to experience joy when playing. And chimpanzees' ability to display affection highlights their sentient nature.

Now, a scientific report in the UK has listed a number of animals without a spine, known as invertebrates, as able to experience feelings.
Octopuses, lobsters, and crabsave all been classed as sentient.

invertebrates

To determine if a species is sentient, the report considers how the animals behave in different situations. For instance, are they able to feel distress? Or do they have the ability to learn certain actions?

Scientists have suggested ways these animals can be protected from too much distress, such as ensuring they are treated just as humanely as other sentient animals.

Next up...

Thousands of asteroids are flying through our solar system.

Occasionally, an asteroid heads directly toward the Earth, causing destruction where it hits the surface.

Although no asteroid currently poses a danger to the Earth, a large asteroid could one day cause serious damage.

To prepare for this unlikely event, a group of NASA scientists are conducting a unique experiment. They have launched a spacecraft to crash into an asteroid!

The rocket will fly toward the asteroid before releasing a smaller spacecraft that will collide into the surface of the asteroid.

Scientists have calculated that the collision will be powerful enough to knock the asteroid off course, changing the direction in which it hurtles through space. The mission could demonstrate that we can deflect incoming asteroids away from the Earth, and avoid potential disasters, if we ever need to in the future.

It’s one small nudge from man, one giant sigh of relief for mankind.

And finally...

Ice cubes are incredibly good at keeping things cool!

Vast amounts of ice are used in food industries to keep products fresh. However, after ice melts, it can't be refrozen in its original form. And melting ice creates pools of water, which can result in any potential germs spreading between food items.

Now, a team of scientists have developed reusable jelly ice cubes that can maintain their shape through warmer temperatures.

Made of a material called “hydrogel,” the cubes consist of 90 percent water and 10 percent gelatine, a clear and tasteless food ingredient.

hydrogel

Able to be cut into any shape, the jelly cubes are flexible at room temperature, but turn hard when frozen.

Because they can be reused multiple times, far less water is required to produce jelly cubes than regularly replacing melting ice cubes.And because they are made from natural materials, they can be sustainably disposed of once they have been used.

A cool hygienic alternative to traditional ice cubes!

That's all for this week, we'll see you next time!